Forgotten Reflection
by Monitor-2314 Omniscient Eye
Summary: "Long have I slept and waited, to be awakened, to be of service to The Mantle of Responsibility. Now that I have, I see that it was necessary that I slept, and waited until now. For the galaxy is in turmoil, having forgotten their past selves. Their past reflections, but they will remember... for I will make them. I will make them remember what the Mantle of Responsibility is."


**Notes of the Record (N/R): For future reference, as well as those just joining us, and for those who've been here. These will be my "Author's Notes", but I am calling it this to fit with my style. So, with this, is the start of the ten times rewritten and rethought story of Naruto actually being a- you know what… just read and find out mhmm? For those who are wondering what in the fuck has happened. Please read my profile, and you will get all the information you need. Alright, without further ado…**

**Forgotten Reflection**

**Prologue**

"**I am what is left of the nature of my Creators, to remain within this place with a single and simple purpose. A purpose with a complex fulfillment. That purpose is to observe, record, and catalog everything and anything I witness from whatever I can find. In order to have a complete and neutral record of everything that happens… Everything."**

"**Will this purpose have an ending… I suppose, due to the nature of the request, it does not. Why my Creator's tasked me with such a responsibility, I cannot fathom. But I will do what I must… for they will it. And the Will of the Mantle cannot be ignored…"**

**Chapter I: From Deep Within…**

"_What do you think will happen…?"_

"_I cannot predict everything that will happen. That ability was only ever bestowed upon our Creators…. But I can tell you this… We. Will. Lose. There is no doubt about that…"_

"_Then why even attempt this? This is… beyond anything thinkable. This violates everything you stand for… Everything we as a species stand for."_

"_Because with death… can come life. Through sacrifice… we will atone for what we have done. That we may pass into dust and forgotten memory is a consequence worth paying if for the survival of all that we hold dear… and believe in…"_

Naruto blinked, his foggy gaze unclouded and his mind brought back to reality as the sting of salt in the air invaded his nostrils and lungs. He looked around slightly startled finding, as he remembered not moments before, where his teammates and their client for the current assignment were on the small boat they were riding. The grouchy and paranoid boat driver looking as suspicious as ever. Nothing had changed.

'What… what was that?' he thought, blinking, frowning and looking back ahead of them. Into the foggy air and distance ahead of them. Through this fog, soon they would be in a land Naruto had never heard of, nor ventured to before this assignment was given to him. He found it a slightly welcome relief… a brief respite from the life he led within the Village Walls. But… whatever that was he couldn't understand it. Was it his imagination? A daydream? A memory?

He didn't understand, as he didn't entirely recognize the voices. The first was male, definitely adult and commanding. But the tone he listened to was a man struggling to continue a fight. The second was a woman, she sounded aged, wise, and more understanding. Someone with unfathomable experience.

But, despite these details, he did not recognize those voices or any instance where he might've heard such a conversation. It was entirely foreign to him, yet somehow he remembered it. He glanced toward his left hand, where some bandages were currently wrapped around the palm of his hand and around the back of it. A wound he recently gained fighting his first two hostile Shinobi.

'I wonder… did I not bleed all the poison out? Perhaps I am hallucinating… maybe I should inform Hatake?' he thought briefly, before slightly shaking his head, thinking instead to not do so. If it continued, then he would bring it up, but as far as he was concerned… it was a one time instance and he honestly didn't feel any different. Sighing quietly to himself, he glanced briefly back at the other four people he currently was assigned with.

An older man, though not old enough to be considered elderly, a man most likely within his twenties to thirties. He currently was dressed in a uniform of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, such clothing only worn by Shinobi of said village. To be specific, he was garbed in the typical Jonin uniform, this being a forest green flack jacket that covered mostly the torso and neck. The vest was designed to be form-fitting, light, and able to combat effectively while using it. The inside was lined with small ceramic plates, which allowed for enemy weapons to be either be bounced or blocked. That, or help to minimalize the force of the blow.

The jacket also had a neck pad that covered the sides and back of the neck but left the front open. The front of the jacket was fitted with two, three pouch, attachments that were sewed into the jacket. These pouches allowed a Shinobi to place scrolls, messages, and other assorted materials for safekeeping and easy access. The jacket also had a zipper along the front of it, allowing one easy removal if need be. Underneath the vest, he wore a one-piece, full bodysuit in a deep blue color, almost like lapis lazuli. It only left his upper neck, hands, and feet exposed.

Upon his neck and lower face, he wore a half-face mask in the same color. This, coupled with the signature Headband of a Leaf Shinobi, which was a band of blue cloth with a riveted metal plate to cover the forehead. Upon the plate was a carving of a swirl-like pattern with the end shooting out and back to form a facsimile leaf shape. That was tilted down on his left only. His right eye and the area around it were still visible to him.

His hands and feet were garbed in Shinobi gloves and sandals respectively. The gloves were also the same blue color, with riveted metal plates as well. But there were left blank and on the back of the hand to act as blade guards. The sandals were made out of a durable sole and leather, with open toes, allowing for better performance during stealth. The leather was dyed to a blue color similar to that of his bodysuit. But wrapped around his shins and up to a little below his knees was a white medical tape. This was the same for his right thigh, where a patch of the same tape was wrapped around it.

This was not a wound, but really a place to allow for their Kunai holster to have a better grip on their leg and to prevent slipping. The entire seriousness of the outfit was ruined by the fact that the man possessed gravity rebellious hair in the shade of grey. But it seemed to be a natural color for him, instead of a sign of age. Said hair was sticking up like a spiky pillar, but listing to the left side of his face slightly. That, and the orange pornographic novel known as "Ichi Ichi Paradise" also subsequently crushed any possible recovery.

'Truly, for one so gifted in the art of Shinobi, and one of the best Shinobi the Leaf Village has to offer… this is far from what I expected as our Sensei.' he thought, after his momentary glance over of his teacher. This man possessed a significant reputation, and as Naruto eyed the area where his left eye was covered by the headband, he was curious. Truly, far from expectations.

He then glanced from their Sensei and Jonin leader, who was currently sitting and reading his book toward the stern of the small boat next to the driver. Said man was an average looking civilian, though his wary countenance and the way he habitually kept pulling his conical hat over to cover his visage were telltale signs of fear and unease. Obviously the man didn't like doing this, or there was something else about him. Naruto narrowed his eyes for just a second.

'Perhaps that is why Sensei is sitting next to him? In case he tries anything.' Naruto mused, his eyes leaving those to look at the three that were closest to him. Two of them were around his age, as well as the final members of his Genin Squad. The third their client.

Starting from the starboard side of the ship was his male teammate, Sasuke Uchiha. While Naruto had spent the last three years of a five-year course with him in the Shinobi School of the Leaf, he actually didn't know much personally about the young man from the little number of interactions he had. He did know of the Uchiha Massacre, an act committed by a single man, Itachi Uchiha… Sasuke's older brother. He knew that the young man was traumatized by the sight and that his medical records stated he was afflicted with some type of advanced Sharingan Genjutsu.

This, in turn, led to Sasuke to start to grow cold and secluded. He viewed pity as inability and weakness. Anger, rage, and hate he now deemed fuel to himself. With a vow to kill his brother one day and avenge his clan. Then, perhaps even rebuild it. At least that was what was given to him on the day they graduated during his teammate's introduction. That said, he was strong, determined, but a burning Explosive Tag. Sooner or later, he'd crack, whether it was the chance to kill Itachi or Itachi already being dead. That, or being so utterly defeated.

He currently was dressed in a more casual manner, indicative of their rank as Genin due to not possessing or openly wearing Flak Vests which are given unto Chunin traditionally. This really consisted of his personal style, a blue T-shirt with a turtle-neck collar, though it stood straight up instead of conforming to his throat. This was coupled with a pair of whitish-tan cargo shorts and a pair of arm warmers upon each of his forearms. Stretch bands colored in blue wrapped around white cloth held them in place. His feet were dressed in a pair of shinobi sandals, blue in color as well, with white medical tape wrapped along his legs and up to his shins from his feet. Lastly, the one Shuriken Pouch and the white tape band on his right thigh. This, like Kakashi, was used to hold a Kunai holster in place.

'To have pride in oneself is crucial to personal will and strength. But arrogance will eventually lead to his defeat or death.' Naruto though quietly, looking over his teammate. Since they were all still Genin under their Jonin-sensei that was something that would, eventually, be quelled. At the moment, as he glanced at Kakashi, he doubted that would happen this mission or anytime soon thereafter.

'As Shikamaru would say… troublesome…' he mentally sighed, before letting his gaze wander over to Port-side of their small watercraft. Sakura sat, for once, looking out over the obscuring mists with slight apprehension. Obviously the run-in with the Rogue Shinobi, the "Demon Brothers" of Kiri, and Kakashi's subsequent warnings were now plaguing her mind. Naruto could reason with that he supposed, he was not exactly optimistic about their situation either. Unfortunately, that is how it was, but you didn't get stronger by not attempting to beat something that was harder than you.

'At least that is what a careless moron would think…' Naruto thought though he would probably portray such a mindset if asked. Appearances had to be kept up after all. Then Naruto let his gaze wander over his female teammate critically for ten seconds, after which he was satisfied and let his gaze wander back to the bow of the boat.

She was dressed in a crimson dress with a unique emblem upon the edges of the shoulder cuffs, front tassel, and between her shoulder blades. It was a simple thick-lined, white circle with the middle missing. To which Naruto still didn't know whether it was her choice of style or a Clan designation. In either case, the dress was a one-piece set, with the top being that like a robe T-shirt that zipped at the middle, and the bottom composed of two flap-like tassels. Under this, she wore a pair of skin-tight fabric material short shorts. Her feet were dressed just in the same manner as Sasuke and Kakashi, along with the Kunai hostler and Shuriken Pouches, though she possessed two rather than one.

This ensemble was finished by her Headband, which was crimson red as her dress, and was placed to hold her long bangs back from her face. Said hair was the most… the oddest thing he had seen out of all their class. Her hair was a broad and stark pink, clearly and very so. She let it grow out long, which would be lethal to her. Maybe he should suggest… and get hit for it.

While he glanced at his two teammates, he hadn't forgotten their client, the Bridge Builder, Tazuna. Even if he wasn't looking at the man right now, he had been having his gaze lingering on the man for most the morning now. Completely for the purpose of protecting him, of course. He was a drunkard or at least appeared to be, his keen and beady deep brown pupils somewhat betrayed this look, making Naruto that much more aware of the threat that lay ahead of them.

'Even the old man can feel it…' he thought, keeping his vision on the front, watching the mists part before them, slowly revealing more and more of the approaching Nami no Kuni. Tazuna was dressed like a typical, economically poor, villager. Unfortunately, his state of dress was no means a disguise, as Nami no Kuni was in rather desperate times. The conical rice hat on his head, which had a taller and broader tip, was rather well kept but definitely aged from use. A rope was tied around his forehead, typical of fishing villages. His shirt was a ragged and frayed edged T-shirt, with the shoulders ripped off and front cut open, a piece of rope holding it closed. His lower half was garbed in a pair of grayish-black shorts and a pair of classic wooden sandals on his feet. Obviously dressed for more humid and wet environments.

The pack on his back possessed all his traveling equipment, which he used to get to the Hidden Leaf, and now was helping him get back as they traveled at his sedate pace.

'A Shinobi would've been at that shore half a day ago…' he thought irritatedly, not really thinking of the obvious restriction when he initially accepted the mission. Naruto closed his eyes momentarily and clenched his fists in his lap. 'Damn that old man and his wisdom! While I am sure he wouldn't intentionally put us into this situation, he knows my mask too well to manipulate it so easily.'

Shaking his head mentally clear, he reopened his eyes and had to hold back an impressed whistle, due to the need to be quiet still prevalent in his mind. A large and massive structure made of concrete and steel reinforcements was along their starboard side, the construction not ongoing it seemed, but rather halted and awaiting for Tazuna's return. As if sensing his gaze on it, Tazuna suddenly spoke up, his aged tone that was grated by a slightly dry throat and slur coming from behind him. Though it was kept low, Naruto heard him clearly nonetheless.

"Impressive isn't it? With this, we will be free of Gato… We will have it finished within the month, weather willing, and as long as Gato doesn't try anything underhanded…" he said, to which Naruto just slightly turned his head and looked at the man out of the corner of his right eye. Still keeping most of his vision on the front, looking for the shore as the boat driver steered them away from the bridge, toward elsewhere on the shore.

"That is why you paid us Tazuna-san… to prevent such… "Underhanded" tactics," replied Kakashi quietly to the man. While the younger man knew Tazuna had directed such a comment to his blonde-haired student, he still wasn't exactly comfortable with the man and his manipulation. "Then again, the level of those tactics are beyond the scope we were initially informed of."

The dead and uncaring tone of Kakashi was noticed and embedded within the man, who's shoulders slumped slightly as an appearance of guilt enshrouded him. Kakashi cared not, either way, the man would be paying extra for his actions and more difficult scope of the mission. The Jonin then overlooked all of his students with a calm gaze, seeing that each was keeping a wary and observant gaze on their front, sides, and rear as they could.

'They haven't had much training together since they passed two months ago… but they are slowly learning to work together.' Kakashi thought, a smile hidden behind his mask, though barely visible by the crease lines on the fabric. He really thought that all of them wouldn't pass his test when he first gave it. But, if in a roundabout way, they passed and since Kakashi had been training them thoroughly through physical exercises and mental puzzles/problems/questions during such. This happened every time in the morning, to which he would then take them to the Mission Office in the Hokage Tower to receive their D-Rank for the day. Sometimes they would do two that day when Kakashi felt his cute little Genin needed some extra work and suffering.

Then, they would finish with that evening having Sparring Sessions between each other and against him. Either in one on one bouts or in free for all combat. After two hours of this, he would then let them rest and teach them about either some more advanced tactics and traps Shinobi could use with their equipment, or about a battle from Third War he participated in and how it played out. He would then ask them suggestions on what could've been done better if they knew then, and even if it happened today.

While he really hadn't begun on training them more in their Chakra Control, and Jutsu Knowledge, he really thought that they needed Physical Training and Teamwork Exercises immediately. That, along with his practical and theoretical lessons was slowly but surely expanding their minds. Of course, now that they were on their first C-Rank, he really should've reconsidered that decision of letting them choose to continue or not.

'I know they are confident in themselves, and in some cases too much, but this could get messy for them… and if necessary we'll leave Tazuna to die and retreat back to the Leaf. I'll get shit for this for sure, no matter if we succeed or fail, but this will be a learning experience for them.' he thought remorselessly. In the end, the breach was clear and at this point, they were only here because they wanted to be, not because they were required to be.

Soon enough the shore came into sight ahead and he saw Naruto tense up on the front, whether he was wary or eager, Kakashi really couldn't tell with him. In those moments, a brief memory played back through his mind. Back before he initially tested and taken on Team 7, just before team assignments to be exact.

_Memory…_

"_You are certain he is capable Hokage-sama?" asked Kakashi with a slightly skeptical tone, watching the young blonde-haired, orange jumpsuit wearing, brash graduate as he tried to converse with his newly assigned teammates, offering to get some lunch together. It was denied, unfortunately, and his raven and pink-haired fellow graduates left him behind at the lone strip of walkway in the Academy Garden, the bench behind him._

"_Beyond so Kakashi… while what you see is obviously not exactly competence or even what one could call a proper Shinobi…" the Hokage said, taking a small inhale of smoke from his pipe as they stood on the roofs above them from two buildings away. "He is highly knowledgable and educated at Stealth and Subterfuge due to his habits. That and his entire persona is a lie. Even with that, the potential is there. Let alone what you can make the three of them come to be."_

_Kakashi stared sidelong at the Hokage since he was standing with his village's leader at the edge of the roof. He briefly considered that the man was starting to go a bit senile when the Hokage turned his gaze to him, the heavy and powerful vision of the man commanding obedience in Kakashi. Let it never be said that Hiruzen Sarutobi, Third Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves wasn't sure of his bets. He made have made mistakes with his student, and some of his actions in the village, but everything he did was with a purpose. An intent._

"_So… who is Naruto really?" asked Kakashi of his Hokage, to which the man smiled in a knowing manner before letting his gaze wander back to the blank-faced Naruto who now sat upon the bench below them. There was a long pause, the Sandiame's smoke from his pipe trailing upwards from the bowl and his lips._

"_Unfortunately, he is far from his appearance as a child Kakashi… While his life was left relatively clear during his early years, when you oversaw his protection…" the Hokage said, glancing again at Kakashi toward the middle of his explanation, his tone rather pointful and harsh. Said Jonin flinched slightly, his gaze cast to the street bushes across from his orange wearing future charge._

"_After you started to engross yourself in deeper with ANBU and your missions, and he started to be able to wander the village on his own is when things turned south. Merchants and Business Owners either outright refusing his service, or the very few who don't, charge him exorbitant prices compared to their normal charges. That, and a few near beatings that I've been able to get witnesses and reports from. I am sure we stop most of the attempts, but, I don't know if the boy is even telling me the truth. Honestly, the boy has it rough enough with his Orphan Stipend."_

_At this, the Hokage bowed slightly and his hat covered his visage and face, the shadows of the afternoon sun causing a perfect image of the Hokage, the Fire-Shadow of the Hidden Leaf. The pipe protruding slightly from underneath and letting a faint trail of smoke into the air though was certainly a personal touch regarding Hiruzen Sarutobi._

"_While I am sure it is Naruto's dream to become Hokage someday Kakashi, no doubt of that to be sure when he initially joined the Academy… it was out of necessity rather than a choice for him. As I am sure you know, toward your later years in the Academy, Orphans are offered an increase in their Stipends, if they apply for service to the Leaf."_

_There was a heavy silence between them as both men stared down at Naruto, who was still unbeknownst to their peering eyes and presence. The advantage of having several decades of experience in training and combat, both in and out of War._

"_So, he didn't want to become a Shinobi?" Kakashi asked, slightly shocked internally, but keeping a calm outward facade. Right now, he wanted to go to the Markets and personally "cleanse" any greedy and rotten filth. As they were the only ones would take his money willingly in this village._

"_That, I actually do not know personally Kakashi. While I have been a part of the young boy's life since it had started, and he certainly sees myself as a Grandfather Figure, he never outright stated what he wished to be. As he grew up, he sought access to the library, wishing to read all there was…" toward the end, Sarutobi gained a very peaceful and humored visage, his eyes glazing over in pleasant memories._

"_The librarian's unfortunately denied him, and of all things, this is what brought him to me. Not starvation, not lack of personal funding for his needs. Even break-ins at his home for christ sake Kakashi! He finally came to ask my help in regards to getting books and knowledge in general…" the Hokage puffed heavily toward the end of his small rant, taking a larger amount of the calming smoke into his lungs, letting it drift and drain out slowly at the corners of his mouth._

"_So I humored him, and I realized that the boy I thought I knew from the ANBU reports was anything but. I gave him access to my personal library, both here in the Hokage Tower, and at my Clan's Estate…" At this, to Kakashi confusion and slight worry, the old man just started to chuckle before glancing at Kakashi with a very assured and intent glint in his eye._

"_He read the Hokage Tower's library in two whole years. Already, he's through a quarter of our's and he's only been on it for a year as well Kakashi…" Said Jonin had his lone eye widen in visible shock, his fists tense and his shoulders tight. That, easily, was around the amount of both critical and circumstantial information any Shinobi under Seasoned Chunin could've needed. Adding in Sarutobi's own Clan Library, he couldn't fathom that._

"_I know Minato-sensei and his mother were smart and quick but…" Kakashi said, looking back down to the blonde boy, before looking back at Sarutobi. "You've surely investigated such a potent trait?"_

"_We did. The boy seems to have some sort of Eidetic Memory, that, along with excellent memory retention Kakashi. He remembers events up to two, even one year old. He also only trains in Ninjutsu to be experienced and able with them, not just to have them immediately. When I gave him the Leaf Exercise, Substitution Technique, Transformation Technique, and Clone Technique. I initially told him that he only had to hold one leaf to his forehead and stick it there for ten minutes with his chakra. When I came back a week later to give him his next stipend, as I started to do to keep an eye on his progress, he was on his patio, two dozen leaves all over his upper body…"_

_The Hokage had an easy and calm smile on his face, as he looked toward the sky. There was a brief moment as Kakashi, hearing all this information, could only make assumptions and finally asked another question of his Hokage._

"_So, why did he have such terrible scores in the Academy and multiple reports of his lack of Chakra Control? Not to mention the three failed attempts at the Clone Technique? He isn't that mistrusting of his fellow classmates and instructors is he?" asked Kakashi, confused, as if Naruto had displayed such abilities openly to the Hokage, then why not among his peers. Then his eye widened once more, as he found "Underneath the Underneath"._

"_I see…"_

"_Yes, Kakashi… due to the treatment of the village in general toward him, whether it was ignoring and avoiding him, to scorning and even trying to physically harm him, he has lost a significant amount of trust in others. Unfortunately, even a few of his Instructors tried to sabotage his education, and he only knew better because he started reading after two years into the Academy. I don't know what it was but after his second year… something changed within him." The Hokage sighed deeply, before continuing on._

"_Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno are going to be your remaining students and his fellow teammates. From what I understand, the Uchiha has no known issues with Naruto, and in fact, some would call their relationship a rivalry back in the Academy. But his pride and arrogant nature have blocked any of Naruto's attempts, or Sasuke's own thoughts toward friendship between the two."_

"_Sakura Haruno is another story it would seem. Naruto's facade has used her, in a sense, as a target for loving affection. Naruto deemed it necessary for whatever reason, or he honestly has an attraction to her… She hasn't been very hospitable to him, sometimes vocal, sometimes physical in her refusals. She has a dislike for him, and like the rest of the village, sees him as pathetic and talentless. I wouldn't be amazed if she thinks him passing was a fluke in and of itself…"_

_The Hokage finished their assessment, before he handed over Kakashi several manilla folders, obviously each containing the backgrounds of his Genin. Said Jonin was confused, as he looked over toward his commander and saw the man's steady gaze._

"_You best read up on your charges and their histories Kakashi… I want you to make something of them. Konoha needs another team of strong Shinobi to protect her. I am starting to get too old to do this anymore. My students are off either rogue, trying to die from alcohol, or are burying themselves into their work both out of need and the want to be away from the consequences. With Minato and when he was alive… we had hope. But now… we don't have much of a choice."_

_With that, the Hokage left Kakashi, after turning on his heel and walking three steps, the forth seeing him shimmer in the air, before disappearing, only a scant few leaves swirling around the evidence to his passing…_

_Memory End…_

Kakashi had decided to listen to his Hokage and used the time he usually spent when making his new Genin Graduates wait, to instead review and catch up on his three students. Thus, as the boat was settling, and all of his Students piled off with Tazuna remaining firmly in the middle of them, did he do a brief scan of Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura.

Of all of them, he supposed the most worrying was actually Sakura since she was both under expectations of Physical and Chakra capacity. While the Academy standards have lowered somewhat over the years, to lower to such a point shocked Kakashi, that or she bribed her way to her spot. Either way, it spoke of terrible standards of the Academy right now, something which Kakashi had already written a formal complaint for. Of course, not only was she lacking in these areas, her focuses were not exactly great either.

She tended to side with Sasuke, because of her infatuation, thus it tended to leave Naruto either excluded or unable to make suggestions to a decision as a Team. While he had noticed Sasuke asking Naruto's opinion slightly more before this mission, right now Sasuke seemed to be the one acting and planning. In the final, there would be some major changes after they reached Tazuna's.

Thus, that led to his raven-haired second charge. The second most worrying case of the team, more so due to Sasuke's past and goals, then to personal attachments on the team. With the entire annihilation of his Clan, caused by Sasuke's older brother Itachi Uchiha, it had driven the young man into training to pure exhaustion. Focusing on personal strength and hate to drive him, not Teamwork or considering assistance. Hopefully, with time, this too would change as he learned to know his Teammates better, and understood just how useful teamwork was.

Thus, that finally led to the object of his former memory, Naruto. He, out of all of them, was not the most worrying… but perhaps the most unsettling. Even now… Kakashi could recall when they all first met as a team on top of the Academy.

_Memory…_

"_Alright… since seeing as we are going to be a team for the foreseeable future, why don't we start with introductions?" voiced Kakashi, holding his arms lazily across his chest, his lone beady eye moving along each of the three sitting Graduates before him. Then, he turned his gaze upon Sakura, as she voiced her question._

"_Ah… Sensei? What do you mean by that?" she asked, and Kakashi had to wonder about the standards of Graduates and the Graduation Exam… perhaps he should push forth a formal complaint, that because of low standards it made Genin Teams that harder training them to catch up. Yes, that would be a very suitable argument. Perhaps he should do this after they were finished here? Of course, during this Kakashi still kept half of his attention on Sakura._

"_Then how about I show you? My name is Kakashi Hatake… I have several likes and dislikes… but I don't think I want to tell you. Dreams for the future? Hmm… never really thought about it. Hobbies? Oh… I have lots of hobbies." spoke Kakashi, giving a great example, in his opinion. All of his, if they pass, Genin looked at him like he was crazy._

'_All we learned was his name…' was the three simultaneous thoughts of the Graduates. At this, seeing the pointed looks of her Sensei and teammates, it was obvious they were waiting for her to start. Sighing, while mentally clearing whatever nervousness she had, she started._

"_My name is Sakura Haruno… I like Sasuke and practicing Chakra Control as well as continuing to study in other fields… I dislike Ino Yamanaka and how she is trying to steal away my love. My dream… *Squeals*... and my hobbies are Flower Collecting and Shinobi History." she said, looking at each of her team afterward since she had closed her eyes to recite it. Kakashi looked at her with a slight nod, though not outright approval. Sasuke seemed to be generally just staring at their Sensei, and Naruto… Naruto was odd. He was looking up to the sky as if thinking over her introductions and maybe his own?_

"_Alright… thank you, Sakura. You, Mr. Doom, Gloom, and all that is terrible." stated Kakashi before he suddenly moved his gaze over to the last Loyal Uchiha of the Leaf. He was interested in what his student would say, seeing as Kakashi didn't get much time to study him from his file and the time he made them wait._

"_My name is Sasuke… Uchiha. I don't really like anything at all. I hate many things… My hobbies are Training and studying the scrolls of my clan. My dream? No… it isn't a dream, nor ambition, I will make it a reality. I plan on restoring the honor and pride of my clan… and killing a specific person…" stated the self-proclaimed Avenger of the Uchiha. Kakashi looked at him with a slight sweatdrop, Naruto was still looking toward the sky, and Sakura was looking like she might have a swooning fit._

"_Okay… thanks for the rather bleak introduction Sasuke… and now you… Daydreamer." acknowledged Kakashi before turning his lone, visible eye upon the blonde-haired Graduate of their team. Kakashi, while he knew of many things around the village the boy did, ranging from Pranks and harassment, he was surprised in the last three years of Naruto's file._

_There was essentially very little about him, other than his Academy reports, a few Hospital Reports, and the occasional ANBU report, there wasn't much about who his charge became or what he currently was up to for the last three years. From the little Kakashi was able to read between the lines, the boy pretty much up and left Public Life, instead, devoting himself to reading, learning, and training hard. Enough to the point, it was not uncommon for him to pass out in the training fields, only to continue as soon as he awoke._

'_What made him change this way? It had to be something drastic, something eventful but neither the Hokage, his file, nor what I've seen will clue me in. Whatever it was, Naruto has spoken nothing of it." he thought, seeing that finally, their final member had decided to look at them. It sent a shiver down Kakashi's spine while it seemed Sakura and Sasuke only were paying partial attention, obviously, they were just as interested._

"_My name is Naruto Uzumaki… I like reading, studying and adapting what I learned into whatever I do… I do not like Ignorance, Arrogance, Cowardice, and Betrayal… My hobbies are taking care of my small garden… and improving myself. My dream… I don't know…" he stated, and Kakashi had to keep another shiver from physically showing. His once-bright azure eyes were now slates of cerulean, little light gleaming off his irises and pupils. It was almost like he was dead to the world, but Kakashi knew it was more likely to be apathy. But, it saddened Kakashi extremely to hear that Naruto's dream no longer existed… To be Hokage..._

"_Thank you Naruto, that was… enlightening. Now, that is all out of our way, we can truly beginning training. Tomorrow at training ground 7, be there six hours before noon." he stated, to which Sakura again spoke up in a question._

"_Uh… Sensei. What kind of training?" she asked, to which Kakashi chuckled, knowing the real reasons and the actual test. But the rest of his cute little future Genin stared at him confused._

"_Well… it is Survival Training… if you must know." replied Kakashi boredly, to which all three of them scowled slightly at. Good, underestimating him and what it actually was. It would make it all the better to see their faces._

"_We already learned survival training in the Academy… why do we need to learn it again?" asked the Raven-haired Uchiha, to which Kakashi eye smiled at him while keeping the corner of his eye on Naruto. Said young boy was just staring at Kakashi, watching and waiting. At least one of them was paying actual attention._

"_Yes, you did… but you haven't learned this exercise… well really not an exercise but I guess it could be called that." he stated, before musing to himself. This time, Naruto spoke up, his voice calm and collected. Much different from the brash brat he once knew._

"_Then it isn't an exercise. What is it specifically?" he questioned, to which Kakashi started a quiet chuckle, then a full-blown laugh for a few seconds, wiping a non-existent tear from his lone eye._

"_You guys are definitely not going to like what I have to say…" he clued, to which all of them stared determined at him, good… strength of will and determination were strong traits needed in Shinobi. The will to endure. So, he decided to humor them._

"_This exercise is really a test. You see, you actually are not Genin right now, but still Academy Graduates. This test is what decides whether you continue as a Genin or get sent back for redeeming training. Though, due note, that out of the entire original class… only 9 teams will advance and the rest will be sent back. So, essentially, this test has a 66% fail rate." stated the Jonin, seeing the furious, shocked, and contemplative looks of his three Genin, Raven to Pink to Blonde in that order._

"_So, now that you know, I expect you to show up on time tomorrow and ready for anything…" ordered Kakashi, before he turned and brought his hands to form the Hand Seals of the Leaf Village Body Flicker Technique. Then he looked over his shoulders, smiling at them._

"_One last piece of advice… Don't eat breakfast tomorrow… or else you'll just puke it out," he stated, before disappearing leaving two stunned Graduates, and still a contemplative third. He really didn't leave, but rather used the technique to appear on the building across from them to watch. 'Now to see how serious they will take this?'_

_Sasuke Uchiha immediately stood, obviously the boy was going to train or plan to be ready for tomorrow morning. Sakura looked at the ground with nervousness and self-doubt, something that would be rectified should they pass. Then he saw Naruto closed his eyes, and his lips moved. Kakashi couldn't hear them, but he could read lips to get what Naruto was saying._

"_Don't listen to his last piece of advice. It will cripple your ability to function tomorrow. Even if you threw it up, you still gained critical energy needed to operate." he stated, to which both his Teammates raised their heads and twisted their necks to said young blonde in shock of such… sound advice._

_Sasuke lingered for only a minute longer, staring at his teammate with an unreadable gaze, while Sakura stared at Naruto in complete shock. Since when did the former prankster, now known as the "Class Mute", have such a thoughtful brain. For a while, she thought he honestly didn't have one. Then again, that changed after two years into the Academy._

_Naruto glanced at her, and as well as where Sasuke just disappeared to travel back down the stairs of the Academy, before he stood and moved over to the railing, looking at her from the corner of his eyes._

"_He might not listen to me Sakura-chan… and I don't expect you to listen either. But I would still eat tomorrow, and heartily. You are going to need it." with that, Naruto then vaulted over the edge of the railing. Sakura, in a slight panic since she still thought he was somewhat an idiot, rushed over to the railing. She looked down, and instead of seeing him flat as a pancake, or getting off the ground from a crouch. He, actually, just finished walking down the side, literally, of the building. She stared in shock as that was something the Academy Books told her they didn't learn until they were Genin. As he walked off and down the alleyway of the Academy, she stared after…_

'_Naruto… who are you? Really?'_

_Kakashi only lingered for a few moments longer, seeing Sakura still thoughtful, before he left. Truly, while Naruto had opened up and shown a bit of himself to his team, Kakashi was certain that didn't even scratch the surface of Naruto._

_Memory end…_

Since then, Kakashi has kept at least some of his attention on Naruto at all times. While the young man put himself into their training and missions with all of his ability, he was still reclusive and untrusting of them, and Kakashi even. The Jonin suspected Naruto's respect toward him was more because of his ability and rank, than personal belief. While that was all well and good for Naruto, he felt that it should be far more personal for his team. Naruto still hadn't opened more than he did their first meeting, but with time as he was already seeing, the young Blonde would reveal who he was in due time. But, perhaps some encouragement would also do.

Sighing mentally, Kakashi then turned to Team 7 and Tazuna, his voice serious and his expression stony. The Genin immediately read into his mannerisms, silencing their own thoughts to listen. Tazuna still just stared at them warily, as, after all, they could still leave him here. After another glance over all of them, as well as mentally preparing himself for the inevitable fight.

"Alright team… Manji Formation around Tazuna. Keep your guard up at all times… we have no idea if Gato will send more thugs for us. We can guarantee that there will be another Shinobi to face up ahead, but beyond that, I don't know. Are you three sure about this?" asked Kakashi, to which all they nodded resolutely, even the normally nervous Sakura seemed focused and intent. Good, they would need it.

"If that is all there is… Team 7, move out!" he finished, barking out an order, to which Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura instantly formed up and around Tazuna's sides and front. Kakashi, finishing the formation, brought up the rear of their small entourage. Naruto stood at the front, his eyes scanning and wary, Sakura and Sasuke stood off to Tazuna's left and right respectively. Kakashi put away the book he had out till now, already the hairs on his neck feeling watched.

They traveled for the next hour in complete silence, light fog all around them, limiting their vision to around 10 paces in front of them. Not exactly great, but it was enough to see an enemy coming and move to intercept at the very least. Naruto then suddenly stopped, his eyes snapping to where he must've sensed or heard something, before quickly and decisively throwing a Kunai at it, moving to investigate not a moment afterward.

'Good technique… but he needs to learn not to rush into an area unfamiliar to him, or at least unknown. ' thought Kakashi, the rest of the team moving up swiftly behind them. To which they found, oddly enough, Naruto picking up a dead, white, Snow Rabbit by its ears, the bloody Kunai being pulled out of its side.

"Great job Naruto! You went and killed an innocent animal, you dork!" shouted Sakura, again her emotional thoughts and actions overriding her rationality. Kakashi narrowed his eyes as he stared at the rabbit, as did Naruto and Sasuke. Even if Naruto was currently getting light thumps from his female teammate's fist on the top of his head.

'That rabbit's fur is white… but it is a Snow Rabbit, which only happens when the days are shorter and nights extend… but since its spring… this rabbit was kept indoors and away from the light. Meaning… it was used for a Substitution Technique.' he thought before his senses screamed at him with experienced ease, his lone visible eye widened while he grabbed Tazuna and hit the floor.

"DUCK!" he barked out, Sasuke falling forward into a finger and toe crouch prone, Sakura hitting the floor with little grace, and Naruto bending back and into a body arch, letting himself fall flat. The reason why they all ducked soon became visible, as not even a half-second later, a large flying blade flew over them.

It was easily two meters in length, from the end of the handle to the tip of the curved and wicked top. The sword was massive, its style akin to what a Butcher Knife was into a full-on greatsword. The sound it made was like a buzzsaw, as it spun horizontally with the intent to leave them all in halves.

The metal gleamed darkly and thirstily as it soared over all of them. The sword was only one-sided, with the blade ending at the tip with a sharp curve. Along the blade were two patterns cut from the hunk of metal. The first, closer to the hilt, was a half-circle. It was cut from the back of the blade inward and most likely served as some form of anchoring around someone's neck. The second pattern was a full circle toward the tip of the greatsword. It was cut out of the middle of the blade, to act as a handhold for that end, or for catching and pulling an enemy by their neck. These two parts are, also, most likely what made the buzzing noise.

Soon enough it passed over all of them, missing Naruto by three hairs width as he slid to the dirt-floor, enough to see a faint reflection of himself in the slightly tarnished gleam of the blade. Then it moved up with the wind and landed blade first into a tree. Not a moment afterward, a formed flickered onto the long handle of the greatsword. Kakashi got up immediately with little effort, as did Sasuke who quickly pushed off of his toes and fingers to stand. His hand then shot for his Kunai Holster, pulling out one and bringing it to a protective hold in front of him.

Kakashi, holding his hands as his sides and slightly out, his fingers moving and stopping, his shoulders tense as he focused his gaze on the form, details soon revealed to all of them in the light. Naruto got up only a moment later, rolling forward to Tazuna, then flipping up and around, landing in a combative stance, two Kunai in his hands with tips out and down. Sakura, getting up shakily, moved quickly and jerkily to her two teammates, all three moving in a Manji Formation in front of the recovering Tazuna.

"Well well well… look at what the ocean washed up. Copy Ninja Kakashi of the Hidden Leaf and his little brats… how fortunate." the unknown assailant spoke, his voice dark and deadly, the inflection of humor and arrogance clearly in his tone. Kakashi glanced at Naruto quickly, but sighed gratefully and kept his eye on the man. The young blonde was in no means angered nor enraged by Zabuza's tone and words. With that, Kakashi decided to speak up as well, even if talking really was a waste in a fight.

"And you are Zabuza Momochi, Rogue Shinobi coming from the Hidden Mist. Unless I am terribly mistaken by that blade…" spoke Kakashi, going more so to give a slight insult to the man, stating he wasn't the Zabuza, last known to wield the said blade. The man narrowed his eyes, the gleam in them deadly and slightly agitated. Good, it would hinder his focus hopefully.

"Oh, you aren't wrong Kakashi… this is the Kubikiribocho, the famed Decapitating Carving Knife… and it is really me… the Demon of the Mist." he stated, his tone more serious and a growl. Kakashi cursed his luck, realizing the man wouldn't likely underestimate the Leaf Jonin. Kakashi glanced back to his team, then to Zabuza. He knew they were eager to fight again since it was a brief fight with the "Demon Brothers" back in the Land of Fire. But this man was far beyond them in skill, ability, and experience.

"Ah, then my apologies… so what is your business here Zabuza-san? Unless your business is the Bridge Builder?" asked Kakashi calmly, though his entire body was screaming at him with the will to fight, to seek blood. Age-old habits die hard, especially for Jonin of their class, though Kakashi hadn't exactly been training as hard as he used to, and Zabuza was on the run mostly from Kiri Tracker Ninja.

"Unfortunately Kakashi, my target is the Bridge Builder. Gato wants him dead, and I'm being paid nicely to do so… So I'll offer you this. As much as I want to fight you and see that eye of yours, I'll let you go if you just hand over the old man. So your three Genin do not get killed too early on." stated the man, looking down at the Leaf Jonin with a narrowed gaze. While it was a weak angle to play on the supposed, the Leaf was known to be the tamer of all the Hidden Villages. Kakashi narrowed his eye, looking back at his team and Tazuna. While this, all and should cause him to abandon the mission, his Genin wouldn't learn if he did. That, and they'd resist.

'Damn myself and my laziness…' he thought with a bitter sigh, before looking to the ground. Then he slowly started to move his left hand up to his headband, to the eye that all of them had seen covered.

"Well… then I suppose we don't have much a choice. And I don't have much an option to not use this…" he stated, his hand gripping the fabric of the headband, as he looked back to his team seriously.

"Stay in the formation and guard Tazuna. This enemy is beyond all of you, let me handle him," he stated, before lifting the band fully to reveal his left eye was closed and a hard, thick scar on the eyelid. Verticle in nature, but since it was healed quite well one would assume his eye was fine. Instead, as he opened it, it revealed not his eye but a Genetic Bloodline Trait. The Sharingan.

Sasuke stared in surprise at Kakashi, shocked that such a man had his Clan's prized ability. Then he recalled his Father, Fugaku Uchiha, once complaining about how a Non-Uchiha possessed the Clan's sacred ability. Then, perhaps, Kakashi was that man his Father spoke of. But why he had the Sharingan, was still beyond Sasuke. Sakura was surprised but then realized the connections. Their Sensei was known as "The Copy Cat Shinobi Kakashi" or "Kakashi of the Thousand Jutsu". While she had read up on him a bit in the Library, the Shinobi Section, it didn't really state why he knew so many Jutsu. Now she understood.

'So… Hatake finally decides it is worth it enough huh…' thought Naruto as he looked at his Sensei's back, knowing that a fully matured, three spinning tomoe, Sharingan was in his left eye socket. Naruto also knew the reasons why he possessed such a rare and coveted ability, though he found it odd how not much of a fuss was made over it, before the death of the Uchiha.

For the next ten seconds, there was nothing uttered, said, or anything heard. Nothing but the light winds through the trees, even the wildlife could feel the rising tension and have either vacated the area or hidden out of fear. Then Zabuza disappeared, kicking the tree and gripping the handle of the Decapitating Knife, flying off into the mists and the lake. He landed on the water, soon forming two hand seals with either of his hands, both the sign of Ram and Rat, one hand to his chest and the other pointing the sky.

"Ninja Technique: Silent Killing. Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique…." whispered Zabuza, but they all heard it as if he spoke it clearly in the silent and eerie misty woods. Soon enough, Zabuza soon flickered and disappeared in a swirl of mist, a single leaf floating on top of the water where he once stood. Shortly after, a thick fog soon started to settle in. Sasuke and Sakura were tense and uneasy, the slowly increasing Killing Intent suffocating the field. Naruto was tense as well, and while the Killing Intent was strong… he felt much more than this before. It would restrict him slightly, but he wouldn't hesitate.

"Be on your guard everyone… Zabuza is known as a Master of the Silent Killing Technique… Do not underestimate him." stated Kakashi, letting his own unchained bloodlust finally free. He could feel Sakura lose her breath, strangled breaths leaving her throat and lips, some tears forming into the corner of her eyes. Sasuke shook with fear, his Kunai gripped tensely with white knuckles, slowly moving to his own gut. Naruto stood at the ready and, while somewhat shaken, was mostly intact. Something which interested him very much, but he ruthlessly shoved aside to pay attention.

'This is too much… the amount of pure intent to bring death to their opponent is saturating the air. The Killing Intent is so heavy if I even making a sound or even blink… I'll be dead… NO! No, I won't let it happen like this!' thought Sasuke, about to cut open his own stomach with his Kunai in a manner similar to Senpuku when suddenly a calming effect spread over him and he felt the area around them. Kakashi was looking back at them with an eye smile, his hands formed into a Ram Seal.

"Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto… Calm down. You will make it through this alive, that I promise you. I won't allow any of my comrades to die…" he stated, hollow words coming from him as he self loathed, but it gave his Genin the confidence they needed to be able to think and fight. Kakashi then let his senses extend as his gaze, both normal and Sharingan, searching the thick mists.

"Eight. Points." Zabuza's voice suddenly filtered into their area, filling all the space, disembodied and yet sounding as if he whispered conspiratorially these words into the very ear. It set Sakura numb with fear and Sasuke tense with anxiety. Naruto stilled himself, focusing his hearing with Chakra, trying to find the body to the voice. Kakashi's Sharingan eye was spinning, his Water Release: Water Clone Technique already in use, just like Zabuza.

"Larynx, Spine, Lungs, Liver, Jugular, Subclavian Artery, Kidneys, and the Heart." There came an evil and oppressive chuckle from the shadows of the trees, from within the swirling mists, the tone musing. "Now, which to make my Kill Point?"

"Here he comes…" Kakashi said, feeling the slight pulse in Chakra. Whether it was because of another Jutsu or because Zabuza was using it to enhance his body, Kakashi couldn't tell in the thick mists with his Sharingan. Hopefully, Zabuza hadn't realized that as well.

"I'm already here…" was a reply, to which all of their eyes widened. For, not even a moment before the space between Tazuna and Team 7 was empty, now Zabuza had positioned himself perfectly, stance and position, the grip of sword and readying swing. His eyes closed and his left hand in a half seal of Ram. While Sasuke and Sakura were still, painfully, slowly moving their bodies to turn and defend, Naruto was already turned around, preparing to thrust. All of them were beaten as Zabuza smiled and heaved, his sword already arching to chop them all, removing them of their heads.

Of course, this didn't happen, as not even a millisecond later, Kakashi appeared in a flicker, his Kunai buried up to the hilt and his hand in Zabuza's stomach, his other hand holding Zabuza's forearm preventing the movement of the blade. The man groaned and heaved from the pain, the sound of dripping liquid hitting the dirt. As the three Genin looked, they were shocked to see water… regular water, not the crimson lifeforce they been told would leak back in the Academy.

Kakashi's eye widened as he pushed Tazuna out of the way, his Genin now moving back and out of the Manji Formation, they were once in, as another Zabuza appeared and chopped Kakashi in half by the waist. Only to widen his eyes as, when he did, Kakashi turned into water as well. For a brief moment, everyone was stunned, except for Kakashi, who now held a Kunai to the throat of Zabuza.

"And now you're finished…" stated Kakashi, confident this was the real Zabuza. The Chakra levels seemed appropriate for using two Jutsu and enhancing his senses or muscles. But, unfortunately, such a short ending to the battle was not to be. Zabuza started to chuckle deeply, before glancing at Kakashi from the corner of the blood-lusting eyes. Kakashi's eyes widened as his senses screamed at him again.

"Finished? Hahahahaha… That water clone was a great trick… but it is going to take far more than that to kill me!" spoke the clone in front of him first, before the second and real Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi with his blade already at stance to cleave him in two. Kakashi, moving with his gut, lurched forward and down into a crouch. The blade's edge soared above him, and as Kakashi turned to face Zabuza, he was surprised. The quick and practiced movements of the Mist Jonin caught him, as the blade buried itself in the dirt. To which Zabuza then traded his hands upon, and used it as a platform to kick Kakashi square in the face and toss him out to the lake.

As Kakashi flew, the quickly grabbed and tossed some Makubishi Spikes, before he hit the liquid dip. Zabuza was quick to pursue him, grabbing the handle of Kubikiribocho in the same movement and sprinting to the water, only to stop as he saw the spikes. He scoffed while turning around and tensing, doing a backflip into the water.

"Makubishi Spikes? Trying to slow me down huh Kakashi? Not going to work…" was his words before the Mist Jonin too, went into the dip. Moments later Kakashi appeared on the surface of the water, his gaze wary and concerned.

'This water is much thicker than normal… something isn't right.' he thought, before suddenly two soft landings of feet upon the water, and the ripples outward were heard and seen by him. Before he could act though, Kakashi was soon sucked up into a sphere of water, and Zabuza was behind him, one hand within said water.

"Water Release: Water Prison Technique!" he called and smirked as he saw Kakashi successfully trapped within his technique. The floating leaf was unintentional and almost gave him away he thought. But Kakashi, apparently, didn't notice the Chakra in the water he landed. In the end, it didn't matter and now everything was as easy as a saucer of Sake.

"You are trapped now Kakashi of the Sharingan… so much for your skill… Now just wait here while I deal with your pathetic brats…" he stated, before forming a half seal with his unoccupied hand. This was for the show really, as he made the Water Clone before this. He really just wanted to scare the living daylights out of those pretend Shinobi Brats.

"Water Release: Water Clone Technique…" he stated, smirking as his clone emerged on his command, forming out of the water of the lake, gaining definition, until it looked like an exact replica of Zabuza, down to minute detail. Kakashi looked on in slight panic, worry settling into him as he tried to hold his breath in the Water Prison. Risking what little air he had left, he spoke out a loud order to his team.

"Naruto! Sasuke! Sakura! Take the Bridge Builder and run! Run as fast and as far away as you can. His Water Clone is limited based upon the distance to the user. It can't chase you if he is still holding me!" barked Kakashi, before biting his teeth and lip down, very little air in his lungs left now. With luck, Zabuza would attempt to cleave Kakashi, instead of letting him drown.

All three of his Genin stared at their captured and imprisoned Sensei, each feeling different levels of emotions and anxiety at that particular moment. Sasuke coming to his own realizations, the grim reality starting to set into his mind. Sakura looked torn between listening and following the orders of her Sensei and not wishing to abandon her comrade, and Naruto stared ahead, focused, his cerulean gaze settling upon Zabuza, his clone, and their entrapped Sensei.

'He is right, but he is also wrong. Even if we left, and ran as far as we could, Zabuza would just come to track us down and kill us then.' thought Sasuke, before he tensed and glanced at his blonde and pink-haired teammates. Sakura, he noticed, was fighting with what do to at the moment. Naruto… he looked just as certain and aware of the situation as Sasuke. 'Good… I hate to have to explain to the dobe and Sakura…'

"Naruto… you know we can't do that right?" questioned Sasuke, letting his gaze fall back ahead of them to the deadly Mist Jonin and their trapped squad leader. Sakura stared at the back of Sasuke's head like he lost his marbles. Naruto blinked before speaking softly, enough to be heard by his teammates and Tazuna. Zabuza could most likely either hear them very well, due to the nature of his skill set, or at least read their lips.

"Indeed… it would be fatal, more so than now," he replied, to which Sasuke just smirked and felt some of his confidence return. Naruto, even if he was somewhat clueless, was just as ready as he was to fight this out.

"We need a plan first though Sasuke."

The Uchiha Avenger looked over to his teammate, and for the first time, saw what kind of man Naruto might become in the future. There, standing shoulder to shoulder with him, was a man of battle, of death. His eyes spoke of miles of experience, of countless battles and even wars. Of Shinobi's blood staining his hands, both enemy and friend. Then Sasuke blinked, and what was once superimposing themselves over his teammate, now only left his fellow Genin.

"Hey, guys! Wait for a second! He is a Jonin! We are just three Genin! We can't defeat him…" voiced Sakura, speaking on behalf of the devil, literally, before them. Even if she said these things though, she could see in their eyes. Just like whenever they fought Kakashi-sensei. Or whenever they had to tackle a problem during training, or during a D-Rank. They were set on this, and there was little she could do to voice otherwise.

'I have confidence in Sasuke to do this… but Naruto…' she thought worriedly, looking at the tense back of her blonde teammate. It was true that Naruto wasn't what she expected, and quite frankly, wasn't even similar. While they both still wore the same, eyesore, orange jumpsuit with blue highlights, that was a far as similarities went.

He was more quiet, reclusive, and wary than she remembered when they were younger. Gone was a brash, loud, idiot brat that claimed he would be Hokage. That claimed he was the best, that talked all he could. Now, before her, was a focused Genin, intent to either save their Sensei or die trying. Gone was the brashness and idiocy, replaced with cold focus and calm calculations. Fingers moving sporadically, in an attempt to throw off what Jutsu he may wish to use. His words short and to the point, factual, concise, with little wasted effort or breath.

"Do not worry Sakura…" said Naruto, shocking her, as it was the first time he didn't refer to her with "-chan". He smiled back her, before speaking softly. "You remember what our Sensei said?"

She blinked, stunned, seeing the calm and searching gaze of her teammate… no… teammates. She realized that Sasuke was looking at her too, searching for something within her eyes. Then she remembered, back to when they finally became a team.

_Memory…_

"_Naruto! Now! Sakura! You know what to do!" stated Sasuke, as he suddenly leaped out of the trees that concealed them in Training Ground 7. The task, the test, assigned to them seemed simple when they first began this madness. Kakashi Hatake, Jonin of the Leaf, and their squad leader informed them they were to acquire two bells before Noon. Those who didn't retrieve a bell were to be sent back to the Academy for redeeming training. That wasn't until ten o'clock, and their Sensei had them show up by 6 AM._

_During the time that they waited, Naruto simply observed them, while Sasuke waited annoyedly and hungrily. Surprisingly, for a first, Sakura had listened to Naruto and had eaten a good breakfast. She also brought two rice dumplings for her teammates, to which Naruto said to give both to Sasuke. He would need them. After that, and several hours, the test began. Now it was almost Noon, in fact, five minutes from Noon._

_During the entire time from ten to now, they had spent trying to fight the Jonin separate and alone, each trying their own ability and skill to get a bell and pass. Sasuke, of all of them, probably came the closest to actually getting a Bell so far. He touched one. Naruto, in a surprising twist, made copies of himself. Solid Copies to be exact, and from what Sasuke heard, it was called the "Shadow Clone Technique". Perhaps he should learn it as well? Since it was useful for some of the attempts their silent teammate made._

_In any case, just a few minutes ago, Naruto had pulled him front the earth, courtesy of Hatake's Earth Release: Hiding like a Mole Technique as well as Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique. He only knew that because he learned from Naruto and Kakashi respectively. Apparently Naruto could also use the Jutsu, as he did during his second attempt at Kakashi with his Shadow Clones._

_He then brought him to find Sakura, which wasn't hard, as she was caught in an Illusion Technique or Genjutsu. Sasuke dispelled it since Naruto said he didn't quite know how to inject Chakra into someone to do so. Sasuke had learned this since he could use Chakra, from his… from Itachi._

_From there, the two, soon three, hatched a plan. Where they couldn't get to Kakashi individually, perhaps they may succeed as a team. To this moment and afterward, the only reason why Sasuke even agreed to this was because of Naruto._

"_We need to work together, as much as you think we are beneath you Sasuke, and as much as you think I am incapable Sakura," he stated calmly and coldly to the both of them within a concealed burrow. "We are nothing against him alone. Besides, we are a squad now, so that means we need to work together and complement our strengths, iron out and secure our weaknesses."_

'_The most sound piece of advice the idiot has given to date…' thought Sasuke, as he soon engaged Kakashi in a flurry of fast Hand to Hand or Taijutsu. With the Jonin's focus solely on him, Sasuke maneuvered Kakashi over to the ground where Naruto, using Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole Technique, would appear and try and blindside him. Upon "Now", Naruto would be engaged both at the close with his clones, and at far with Shuriken and Kunai. Sakura, the final part of that plan, would then attempt to sweep in during the flurry of metal, fists, and Sasuke tossing a Fire Release: Fireball Technique at Kakashi from above._

_This all happened so quickly that Sasuke didn't even need to speak more than what he did for it to all occur. Unfortunately, they were up against a Jonin, and he soon saw right through their ploy. Quickly he eliminated all the Naruto Shadow Clones directly in his way, kicking Naruto across the face and across the field, then backhanding Sakura into a tree next to him, before finally jumping up quickly to Sasuke. Before the Uchiha could even get past the second hand seal, he was grabbed by the neck forcefully and tightly, before being tossed between his teammates, also into a tree._

_As they all groaned in absolute pain, as Kakashi hadn't ever hit them that hard or fast so far. While trying to look through a watery and hazy vision to the Jonin, the said man looked down at all of them with a stern expression. Then, before they could attempt a counter-attack, they all realized that, as their hearing returned, the alarm for Noon was sounding off._

"_Well… seeing as none of you actually got a bell… tell me what you did wrong?" asked Kakashi, looking at them with no clue as to the answer he wanted. Sasuke was clueless, as he didn't understand what they did wrong. Sakura seemed to be in the same boat, while Naruto spoke up for both of them._

"_Well, it stems from the fact that, had we teamed up sooner, we may have had more chances at getting the bells," stated Naruto, to which Sakura nodded, and Sasuke did so begrudgingly. He understood they had a much better chance at keeping Kakashi off-balance together. But whether they would've succeeded had they did so from the start Sasuke was unsure of._

"_Correct Naruto. If you had teamed up sooner, you may have gotten these bells. Sakura! Why would teaming up before being possibly more effective then if you each came at me separately?" he questioned, and Sasuke slowly started to connect the dots. He realized that Naruto, who he thought was an idiot and a loser, was the first to realize this. Sakura blinked, seemingly coming to her own conclusions as she spoke hesitantly._

"_Because… if we teamed up. We could increase our fighting ability, as well as compliment and defend our respective fighting styles… among our team." she stated, to which Kakashi actually eye smiled at them. Eye smiled!_

"_You are also correct Sakura… now three for three… Sasuke! I am sure you can finish this off?" said Kakashi, the Jonin immediately knowing that Sasuke had made the connections and realized that truth of the test. It was so simple, so easy, that he honestly was surprised it took Naruto and Sakura to make him remember._

"_The reason why we are on a team is that Leaf Shinobi operate in teams of four. Whether it is three Genin and one Jonin. three Chunin and one Jonin. four Chunin, four Jonin, and even four ANBU. That this teamwork is essential to the Leaf's tactics, so integral that it would be idiocy to not remember it?"_

_With that he clapped and smiled at all of them, looking very proud as his gaze fell upon each briefly and fully, before he spoke and instructed them on why this information was useful and why their test was about this simple aspect of a team._

"_Correct! Great work Sasuke… could've said it little better but you get the idea. Leaf Shinobi always travel in teams of four, in order to support your squadmates, and the mission overall. For Genin, Teamwork should be instinctual for you, and as I can see here… it is. So… I've decided that, even if none of you got the bells, you understood the meaning of the test. You saw through my deception of pitting you against one another with these bells and the consequences. Shinobi must see through Deception. Shinobi must be able to look at the "Underneath the Underneath". I was aiming to fracture your teamwork and cohesion. Your enemies will try to do this, and when they do, remember back to this day… and this."_

_With this, his stone-cold expression turned to that of solemn and sadness as he looked upon the stone memorial within Training Ground 7. His voice gained a quiet and weary quality, but the impact of the words wasn't lessened at all because of it._

"_It is true that Shinobi who break the rules are scrum… but Shinobi who leave their Comrades and friends behind… are worse than scum."_

_Memory end…_

As Sakura remembered that day and remembered the words of advice given to her by her Sensei and the support of her fellow teammates and friends, she soon gained a steely quality within her eyes and nodded discretely, both her teammates smirking at her, filling her with pride. They found what they wanted, and were grateful she remembered.

"Alright… that settles it then I guess…" spoke Naruto, before he looked over to Zabuza's clone and the real Mist Jonin, holding their Jonin-sensei imprisoned in the water sphere. After a moment, he nodded and was just about to move, when Kakashi spoke up again.

"Stop trying to be heroes and act brave. This is life or death! The client is what matters and the mission, not me. Go!" he barked out, both out fear, and out of knowing it would be futile anyway. He taught them all too well as he closed his eyes, smiling.

"Well, Tazuna?" asked Sasuke, looking back over his shoulder to the older man. He looked upon all of them with a weary and worn gaze, before tilting his rice hat down so the brim covered his eyes. There was a long moment, and even if Tazuna said to run, he would still fight. He was only being respectful right now to their client.

"Well… I suppose this all occurred because of me… and my want to live… But do not let that stop you now! Go! Go save your sensei!" shouted Tazuna with a grim but determined expression on his face. Should the man die here, he was ready to do so. As were the rest of the Village Hidden in the Leaves Team 7.

"You think you can beat me? Please… I already killed dozens of opponents when I was your age…" he said, chuckling darkly, before continuing. "I bet your exam had nothing on ours…"

"What exam?" asked Sakura, her tone slightly fearful as the haunting and bloodthirsty gaze of the Mist Jonin settled on all of them. She could feel her death coming but knew it wasn't. She would support her teammates, and they would support her.

Zabuza just continued to chuckle darkly, while Kakashi gained a morose and grim look in his visage. Naruto glanced at this, but already knew the history of the "Blood Mist Village" and their "Graduation Exam". Sasuke was interested, as he didn't know how other Hidden Villages trained their Shinobi. Such information willing given would be useful.

"Ten years ago… back when the Mist was called the "Blood Mist Village", there was a change in the Graduation exam. A year before that, just before the exam, a Civilian walked in... " he said solemnly while looking over to the man who currently held him captive.

"What change? Who was the Civilian?" asked Sasuke this time, seeing that his female companion and fellow Genin had gained a dry throat from the Killing Intent wafting off the Water Clone.

"In the Village Hidden in the Mist, in order to graduate… you had to kill your fellow graduate. Imagine that, people who've you've slept with, ate with, trained with, share your dreams and hopes with… and then the rules are changed. Its kill or be killed." he said, glaring at all of them with blood crazed insanity.

"A year before the change… a Civilian walked in during the beginning of the exam… and killed everyone…" he stated, to which all of their eyes widened, even Naruto's slightly. Such is no easy feat, at least two dozen, maybe even three dozen Graduates, training Shinobi in the making against a Civilian? It seems almost impossible. Then, to their increasing paranoia…

"Hmhmhmhm…. ahahahahah…. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" started off Zabuza in a quiet, humored, chuckles, into full-blown, belly-aching laughter, before a look of pure bliss overcame the visage of the Mist Jonin, as he looked down at him past his nose and bandaged lower face.

"It… felt… so… good!" it stated before the clone suddenly moved faster than they could track with their eyes, slamming against Sasuke with his shoulder, tossing the Avenger back several feet toward Sakura and Tazuna. He then used the blade, which he was holding upon his shoulders, to swing and try to hit Naruto with the flat of the blade. He saw it coming, but it was too fast to dodge. So Naruto brought up his arms in a quick guard, Kunai pointing out to face the incoming plane of heavy steel.

A solid ring of metal on metal was heard, as Naruto was hit and slid back several feet, but was still standing on both feet, brunting most of the force from the hit, trying to hold against the Jonin's strength. He was doing so but it wouldn't be for long as just as he readied to push off and away, Zabuza suddenly transitioned so his foot was planted firmly upon Naruto's headband, kicking off of it. This removed the headband from his forehead and tossed him into a heap into Sasuke.

Both of them groaned and Sakura's earlier confidence in their ability slowly started to wane, before she narrowed her eyes and readied her Kunai, thinking she was next, instead, the clone seemed intent to taunt and ridicule them thoroughly.

"When you've wandered between the realm of Life… and Death so many times it no longer fazes you… then you can be called Ninja. When you've killed so many opponents that the blood seems permanent, then you can be called Ninja. When you've become so deadly, that your name is my Bingo Book… then you may earn the title Ninja… but to call brats like you Ninja…" he said, his tone dark and condescending, thinking they were nothing more than bugs under his feet. To add insult to injury, he stepped and ground on Naruto's Headband, dirting the Leaf Emblem upon it.

"Is a joke!"

Naruto and Sasuke both recovered finally by the end of the Jonin's rant, Sasuke glaring daggers, but also wary. Naruto looking at him coldly and calmly, before making a hand seal, in order to focus on a Jutsu he needed, then another series that was fast. Perhaps even low Chunin in skill. Zabuza was slightly impressed, maybe underestimated this one? Then Naruto's hands fell to his sides as a dozen or so Shadow Clones materialized into existence. Naruto lips moved, and the words barely were spoken.

"Shinobi Technique: Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu. Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole Technique…" he muttered, soon several clouds of smoke appearing and covering Zabuza's sight of the blonde only a moment before he looked around. Surrounding him were thirteen annoying orange brats.

"Oh… Shadow Clones? And quite a few of them too… interesting…" briefly assessed and complimented Zabuza, before he tensed and smirked at the real one, the frown on their face appearing. "But you are going to need more than that to finish me off."

With that, as all the clones rushed him to engage in close quarters combat, Sasuke saw Naruto standing there with his arms crossed, looking at Zabuza, watching him. The Uchiha had no idea what the blonde planned with this, and it was revealed moments later. Like all of his clones dispersed from being cut down, the last one was able to throw back Naruto's Headband before being slaughtered and puffing into smoke. The only reason it was able to, was because it got that close with the Earth Technique.

'He did all of that… for his headband?' was the simultaneous thoughts of Kakashi, Sakura, Sasuke, and Tazuna. As Naruto brought it back to his forehead and tied it, he spoke calmly and clearly to Zabuza first, as said man watched him with interest.

"Hey, you… freak with no eyebrows… put this in your Bingo Book," Naruto insulted, and a vein on Zabuza's temple suddenly bulged in annoyance and anger. Obviously a soft spot for them, to which Naruto would use if need be. Naruto then looked up, his face focused, and his eyes seemingly glowing Cerulean. The intent and determination behind his eyes stunned Zabuza's clone from its anger just a moment.

"Team 7, of the Hidden Leaf Village, will become great someday. That, you can believe." he stated, no-nonsense nor doubt in his eyes or voice. Sasuke smirked at this, even if he was different, there was still some good ole Naruto down in there. Sakura smiled, relieved, to see that Naruto and Sasuke if already beaten once, were ready to go again.

"Oh, and how you going to back that claim up brat?" questioned and doubted Zabuza's clone, but he kept his eye on that orange brat. He was dangerous, he didn't even sense that one in the ground till it showed itself. He reasoned it was due to likely the amount of his Chakra was in the air, supporting the Hidden Mist Technique. But, can't be too careful, especially in this line of work.

"Ready Sasuke?" asked Naruto, ignoring the clone, to which the Uchiha nodded and frowned, but readied himself. Naruto had a plan, that much was obvious, though the avenger didn't really know what it was. After a moment of silence, Naruto created another set of Shadow Clones and advanced upon the Water Clone of Zabuza. He was beaten back after holding him down a moment, most the clones puffing away in smoke.

"Now! Sasuke!" said Naruto, who was sliding along the ground and pulling out a weapon from his backpack. Sasuke threw some Shuriken, then reached out and grabbed whatever Naruto tossed to him. He paused a moment, feeling the weight was wrong on the Demond Wind Shuriken. Then, blinking, he smirked to himself.

'Not bad Naruto… you actually do have a brain.' he thought, before twisting around and unfolding the Shurikens. Meanwhile, Zabuza's clone battered away the incoming small metal projectiles with an annoyed huff, leaning on his blade's handle, the tip partially sunk into the moist banks of the lake. As the clone refocused, and Zabuza watched from afar, they would see him fold out a bigger Shuriken.

"Shuriken won't work against me…" insulted Zabuza, slightly angered that they would think a, bigger of all things, Shuriken would do differently. As Sasuke shimmered away from the ground, leaping and spinning in the air, the Demon Wind Shuriken was spinning faster and faster with his momentum. Zabuza's clone and himself watched boredly, as the raven-haired Uchiha let go, yelling.

"Windmill of Shadows…" Off the screaming buzzsaw of a Shuriken went, and as the clone readied to bat it away as well, it was surprising to see said weapon completely pass it. Going instead for the real Zabuza on the water. Zabuza raised a non-existent eyebrow, nodding mentally in his head.

'Smart… but not enough.' he thought, grinning, waiting to see their devastated faces as their plan, like before, failed as well. When the Shuriken finally closed the distance, Zabuza's arm shot out and caught it perfectly, holding it out and on his side.

"I already told you… a-" he started, before his eyes, to his surprise, another buzzing sound was heard, another Demon Wind Shuriken soon appeared before him. Blinking in shock he soon realized what really happened, before smirking even more. 'Smart… real smart. A Shadow Shuriken Technique, traveling in the shadow of the first…'

But, he wasn't worried nor discouraged, as he looked at the three brats on the shore, he smirked as he jumped up and over the deadly weapon, about to mock them again. Then, to all of their complete and utter surprise, besides Sasuke of course, did that Shuriken suddenly poof into smoke, revealing… Naruto?

This Rogue Mist Jonin's ears picked up the sound of a dispelling Transformation Technique, and as he turned his neck to look out of the corner of his right eye, he saw this. He saw that the brat made it behind him, caught him in mid-air and defensively down, with a Kunai in the Genin's hands.

"Then try a Kunai!" barked Naruto, tossing it straight and true. Zabuza could see the strength in the throw, the cold and apathetic cerulean gaze of the young Genin, and the speed which the Kunai was traveling. If he didn't block or dodge it, it would go through his upper back. So, realizing he did underestimate the blonde one, and knowing he had to abandon his position Zabuza twisted his body in mid-air.

He had to remove his hand from the Water Prison, thus effectively dispelling it and freeing Kakashi, but wasn't fast enough as, just barely, the Kunai knicked him underneath his eye, drawing blood. Now, Zabuza was outright furious, as to be tricked by Genin was one thing but to have blood drawn… This brat would die for making a fool of him. He then started to spin in the air the Demon Wind Shuriken he still held, faster than he thought he could, so it would tear the little shit to pieces.

'Those damn eyes, they aren't even worried or panicked. I'll kill you for this brat, that is a promise.' thought Zabuza darkly, and just a moment before he let go and it would kill Naruto falling the lake, it was stopped by Kakashi Hatake. He used the metal plates on the back of his gloves to stop it in Zabuza's grip, some blood dripping into the water as the blade had dug a little into the metal, the curved point stabbing lightly.

"You forget Zabuza, your opponent is me, not him." Kakashi stated darkly, obviously not taking to kindly to the almost murder of his student. Zabuza saw that the Genin fell into the water, broke the surface, and started to swim for the shore fast. Then he moved his gaze onto Kakashi, trying to force more of the Shuriken onto Kakashi. But the Jonin's strength held true this time, as even folded and put all of his weight into it.

"My bad Kakashi… I must've lost concentration…" he stated, to which Kakashi narrowed his eyes and responded back with an acid tone, his intent to end the fight clear.

"No… you were forced to lose focus and lost yourself to rage… don't flatter yourself." spoke Kakashi back, and from there ensued a brief bout of Taijutsu and Ninjutsu combat. In the end, through some Genjutsu from the Sharingan, he beat Zabuza and tossed him across the lake into trees with a Water Release: Giant Water Vortex Technique. As he tried to stumble and stand, pain lanced through all four of his limbs. Kunai tossed and embedded into his shoulders and hips. Stunned, still, in shock of the Genjutsu, he looked up to Kakashi in fear.

"Can… can you see the future?" asked the Mist Jonin in his pain addled state. Later, he would reflect it was an idiotic thing to ask as nothing could predict the future, not even the Sharingan. Kakashi looked down at him, before speaking quietly and solemnly.

"Yes… and this is your last battle… ever." stated Kakashi, pulling out one Kunai, readying his arm. One good throw and it would be lights out forever for Zabuza as it sunk into his skull. Unfortunately, this was not to be, as to his surprise, and that of his team who just showed up. Two Senbon, precisely aimed with brutal efficiency he noted, pierced and entered Zabuza's neck. Said man tensed and stilled, his eyes widening and bloodshot, before he slowly fell forward and down, dead.

Shortly thereafter, appearing on the tree branch across from all of them was another Shinobi, though they were dressed in kimono robes and their hair was done in a traditional bun and had two long braids framing a mask. Said mask was plain white, with blood-red swirls coming from the chin and ending just below the nose. Kakashi looked at the Mist Emblem on the mask and instantly relaxed his guard.

"Stand down… this is not our enemy," stated Kakashi, while moving down to investigate the corpse, indeed verifying that Zabuza, Demon of the Hidden Mist and Rogue Shinobi was no longer amongst the living. "Though, I wonder why you only show up now instead of helping."

"I've been tracking Zabuza for some time. Waiting for an opportunity to strike him down. You and your team… provided said distraction. You even weakened him enough for me, so you have my thanks…" said the masked Shinobi, shimmering away in a Mist Village Body Flicker Technique, reappearing next Zabuza's corpse. Kakashi moved a bit away to observe the young boy. He couldn't have been much older than Naruto, most likely actually his age. But to be a Tracker Ninja and alone at that… impressive.

Sasuke suddenly stepped past him and glared at the masked Shinobi, before speaking in a venomous tone, something which surprised Kakashi, not really expecting such a violent reaction. Sakura was shocked, and slightly worried for her crush, hearing such a tone spill forth from his mouth.

"What was that? He was a Demon amongst men and… and… you just killed him. Just like that…" Sasuke said, heaving slightly, to which Kakashi then understood. The Avenger was finding it hard that, while he was beaten by Zabuza laughably, this Tracker Shinobi his age just killed the same man with two Senbon, something which gnawed at Kakashi's gut fiercely.

Kakashi, in response, put a heavy and strong hand on Sasuke's right shoulder. Sasuke tried to twist out of it, but the grip only strengthed, pinning him there in place. As the Uchiha seethed, Sakura worriedly bit her lip, and Naruto calmly observed the Tracker Shinobi lift Zabuza's body, did the Leaf Jonin speak.

"Well, Sasuke… even if you don't like it… it happened. That, and there are people out there who are even younger than you… and have greater strength than me." said Kakashi, imparting the sound advice to his disgruntled student. It seemed to calm him somewhat, but the brooding expression and looking offside the ground still bore Sasuke's resistance. Then Kakashi looked to the Tracker Shinobi.

"I assume you will now be doing your duty?" asked Kakashi, to which the masked Shinobi nodded, forming the hand seal for another Mist Village Body Flicker Technique, looking at all of them, speaking seriously and somberly.

"Indeed… his body contains many secrets… secrets my village cannot allow to be learned. So, I will dispose of this body, and with it, keep my people safe." they stated, before starting to shimmer away. "May we meet again…"

With that, they and Zabuza's body disappeared, and Kakashi only visibly sighed out a relief after several moments, slowly sliding his headband back down over his Sharingan. Then, he smiled and turned to his Genin team and client.

"Well, now that that is out of the way, to your house Tazuna-san?" questioned Kakashi with his hand coming up to rub the back of his head in an embarrassed manner. Tazuna blinked while Team 7 smiled, realizing another difficult obstacle now was passed. Soon recovering, the Bridge Builder laughed and nodded, gesturing to the path before them.

"Why yes, yes we should. I am sure you all need your rest from such a long and hard journey. It is just down that small road there, maybe ten, twenty minutes." stated the older man, to which Kakashi nodded and turned on his feet, speaking.

"Alright Team 7, move-" and then he promptly tensed and froze, his eye glazing over before he fell to the ground unconscious. Instantly Naruto was upon him, checking him with Sakura and Sasuke not too far behind, Tazuna worriedly bringing up the rear. After a moment Naruto nodded and Sakura sighed thankfully, turning to speak to the panicking Bridge Builder.

"Not to worry. Kakashi-sensei just has Chakra Exhaustion. Some rest and a nice bed are all he really needs right now." reported Sakura, which seemed to calm the old man's unsteady heart, before he nodded and looked down the path.

"Think you can carry him all the-" the man started to ask before hearing a muttered, "Shadow Clone Technique" behind him and two puffs of smoke. Soon enough, two Shadow Clone Narutos leaned down and started to make a field stretcher for their sensei from the original's backpack. Biting his teeth and halting his tongue, he nodded and started to walk down the path. Sasuke walking the front, Sakura in the middle with Tazuna, Naruto and his clones bringing up the rear with Jonin-sensei in tow.

As they walked on, Naruto continued to be thoughtful, thinking on what lay ahead of them now. He was certain Zabuza would be back, as the Tracker Shinobi was fake, but he didn't voice this as they were already weakened from the fight, and the faux Tracker Shinobi was rested and ready.

'Soon, we will see who is stronger of us…' thought Naruto, glancing back to where the masked Ninja was moments before, then turned his gaze and thoughts back to the fore and forward.

**(N/R): I know I am around… four days late for posting this, as I said on my profile, but I wanted to give everyone a good start to read. I am sure you have many questions regarding what all happened within this chapter. All I can say is that most will be answered in due time. For now, I will be working on finishing up the edit of Chapter II, and be posting it two weeks from today. For those who are followers of the story, tell me what you think of this new version. For those joining us, I hope it was worth the read and more are on the way. For now,**

**M-2314 OE**


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